The Benefits of Buying Your Own Domain

Just as people and businesses have names, websites also have names. A domain name is an address on the Internet. Over time, it may be linked to an identity or a brand.

Although having your own is not a requirement, there are benefits of having one of your own.

• Naming Your Site and Presenting it to the World

• Online Businesses

Benefits of Having your Own Domain Name

Having your own domain means that you have registered the name with an accredited entity that acts as the registrar. Registrars reserve and keep track of domains for registrants.

Every domain name has at least two parts. The section to the left of the dot is specific to the registrant, and it identifies the domain.

Businesses often use the name of their company as their domain name because it is easy to remember for people searching the Internet. The section to the right of the period is more general in nature, and it may include "org," "com," or "net."

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Over time, customers will begin associating a domain name with the website and company. This can be particularly valuable for businesses seeking to build a brand and name recognition. Choosing a simple name is ideal because it enables people to remember it more easily.

It also lends credibility to a website and a business. The individual or business with its own domain typically appears more established and professional than someone with a website built on a free server.

• Brand Protection on the Internet: Domain Names, Social Media, and Beyond (PDF)

• Understanding How Domain Names Work

After purchasing a website domain, the next task involves getting set up with a Web hosting service. You might compare Web hosting on the Internet to leasing business space in a mall to operate a brick-and-mortar store.

A Web host is a company that provides a registrant with space on the Internet for placing the files that will make up the website.

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Web hosts vary in size and capabilities. A company might utilize only one computer to keep and run its files, or it could have hundreds or even thousands of systems. Often, many websites utilize a shared server, which means that one computer runs the various websites.

One large website might need to have a dedicated server, which means that only one computer hosts the website. This may be necessary to handle a high rate of Internet traffic.

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Website maintenance is an ongoing task for site owners. Maintenance includes regular backups of data to protect against loss of information. It's also important to maintain strong security measures to protect a website from hacking and potential theft or damage of data.

To ensure that a website continues to perform well in Internet searches, it must have regular updates and be optimized for search engines to find it. Over time, links may need adjusting or updating and loading speed will need periodic optimization to ensure that visitors have a successful experience as they navigate a website.

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Some people opt to perform their own website maintenance. This can be advantageous for people wishing to cut costs because they can avoid the expense of paying professionals to perform the maintenance work. However, other people prefer to hire professionals to take care of these tasks.

Professional maintenance ensures that experts continually monitor a website to keep it up to date. Any issues with missing images, broken links, or technical glitches will be detected quickly and resolved. This can be particularly important for e-commerce websites that involve financial transactions.

Technical glitches in financial transactions can be disastrous for a business. Professional website maintenance charges can vary. Some companies offer different packages that involve a variable hourly charge depending on the hours worked or a set number of hours each month for maintenance.

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The overall success of a website depends on its domain name, the competency and capabilities of the Web host, and ongoing maintenance.

When quality and success are the goals, registering it will set a site apart from other ones. Arranging professional maintenance will also help ensure positive results.